UK watchdog fines Playboy for 2 pornographic sites

(AP) LONDON - Britain’s media watchdog has fined Playboy 100,000 pounds ($160,000) for failing to protect children from accessing two of its U.K.-based pornographic websites.

Ofcom said that the two sites, Playboy TV and Demand Adult, broke British rules because there are no effective controls to check that users are over 18 years old before they can access "hardcore videos and images."

The regulator said Wednesday that users could access the material by paying with debit cards, which unlike credit cards are available to people under 18. It said that the sites’ failure to protect children was "serious, repeated and reckless."

Ofcom has the power to regulate British-based sexually oriented sites that provide video-on-demand content.